ISTANBUL

A drone detonated just 800 meters (0.497 miles) from Ukraine’s South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) overnight, in what the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) described Thursday as another close call, underscoring the persistent threats to nuclear safety amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the incident highlighted the risks of military activity around nuclear sites.

“Once again, drones are flying far too close to nuclear power plants, putting nuclear safety at risk. Fortunately, last night’s incident did not result in any damage to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant itself. Next time, we may not be so lucky,” Grossi warned.

The IAEA team stationed at the site reported that the plant’s operators observed 22 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) late Thursday, some approaching within half a kilometer of the facility.

Team members staying near the plant heard explosions around 1 am and later inspected the site where one drone had crashed, leaving a crater four meters (13 feet) wide and one meter (3.2 feet) deep.

Shrapnel damaged nearby metal structures and shattered vehicle windows. A 150-kilovolt regional power line was also hit, though it was not connected to the NPP. No casualties were reported.

The South Ukraine NPP is one of three operational nuclear power plants in the country, with its three reactors currently running at full capacity.

The incident comes just 30 hours after Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) suffered its 10th total loss of offsite power since the war began.

The facility has now been without external electricity for more than 48 hours, the longest outage to date, and is relying on emergency diesel generators to cool its six reactors and maintain safety systems.

Before the conflict, the ZNPP had 10 power lines. It is now dependent on a single remaining 750-kilovolt line, damaged earlier this week during military activities.

The IAEA said the site has fuel reserves for nearly 20 days of generator use and regularly receives diesel supplies. Radiation monitoring inside and outside the facility showed normal levels.

“For more than three and a half years, the IAEA has been doing everything in its power to help prevent a nuclear accident during this devastating war. We will only be able to say that our mission was successful if the war ends without a serious nuclear accident,” Grossi said.

The IAEA also confirmed the delivery of new equipment to bolster nuclear safety in Ukraine.

The deliveries, funded by Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Sweden, are part of a wider aid package worth around €20 million ($23 million) since the start of the war.